John Mason John Mason

St. John’s Cassoulet

This is a very long recipe (it can take three days to make); it is complicated, though the ingredients are commonplace; and it necessitates using only the best. That said, it is a dish that, if you’re successful making it, will wow anyone eating it as few dishes could.

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John Mason John Mason

Posole

This soup is the definition of hearty. It’s posole (sometimes spelled pozole), once the most common potage of these parts, a simple mix of pork, broth, hominy, chiles, garlic and onion, and Mexican oregano.

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John Mason John Mason

St John’s Sirloin Pork Chops Braised in Milk

Milk, you say? Milk, I say. Some say that leche's lactic acidity does the heavy lifting in the tenderizing department during the braise. Whatever its role, I can't imagine a better braising medium for pork because, unlike broths or juices, the milk breaks itself down, too, into little curds or nuggets that taste something like Sugar Babies.

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John Mason John Mason

Pork Skewers Five Ways

BY BILL ST. JOHN
Butchers or home cooks typically compose pork skewers (or “kebabs” or “kebobs” as they also may be called [although I always have shunned the latter because it’s too much voodoo on my brother, Robert]) from the loin cuts of pork. You might use tenderloin, although as is the case with tenderloin, any pork proposition with it is a gamble: with virtually no fat to guard against overcooking and drying out, “regular” loin cuts such as sirloin call merit to themselves. 

Here are five ways to prepare pork kebabs. Grill any of these on very hot coals for 10-15 minutes, turning once or twice, or until the pork pieces are well browned all over but also being careful to not overcook the meat.

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